Moms Know Best
by Pir8grl
Summary: It's tough sometimes, being the single mother of a time traveling alien's plus one. I mean, who else could possibly understand this madness? Except, maybe…the single mother of a super hero's plus one. Thank you (as always!) to the lovely tenroseforeverandever! (No - really. You have NO idea what kind of crazy babbling she puts up with!)


Jackie Tyler was hurrying home with her groceries when a ditzy blonde wearing four inch heels teetered into her, scattering her purchases across the pavement.

"Oi! Watch it!" Jackie complained. "Bloody tourists."

"Oh, my gosh! I am so sorry!" the woman apologized, kneeling down carefully, out of consideration for her very short skirt and very high heels, to help gather the scattered items. "Here, let me help."

"What's so important you can't watch where you're goin?" Jackie grumbled.

"I really am very sorry," the tourist said contritely. "I think I got some bad directions."

"I should say so, if you're wanderin' around this part of town, Miss America." Jackie huffed out an aggravated breath. "The bag's broken. Fine job I'll have getting this lot home."

"That I can fix," the stranger assured her, rummaging through her purse. "My daughter's here for a conference, and she gave me a couple of these great bags her company had made up as give aways." She handed Jackie a tiny packet emblazoned with the Palmer Tech logo. "I know it looks flimsy, but they're really sturdy. I'm sure it'll get your stuff home."

"Well, thanks. My name's Jackie Tyler."

"Donna Smoak."

Jackie stuffed the groceries into the tote and climbed to her feet. She studied Donna's long blonde hair and rather short dress, and noticed the map she was clutching in her hand - upside down. "What was it you were looking for?"

"I wanted to see that fancy department store - the one they made the TV show about? You know…the one with that really hot actor, with the dark hair and beard?"

Jackie's eyes widened. "Oh! I know the one you mean. Selfridges. I think someone was having you on, love. You're in the wrong part of the city! That ain't Selfridge's - that's Henrik's! Or at least, it used to be. My daughter used to work there, until it got blown up."

"Oh." Donna's bright smile faded away. "I don't suppose you know how to get there?"

"Not really. S'a bit posh for me." Jackie chewed her lip. She was all too familiar with that expression - and she didn't like seeing it on someone else's face.

Donna sucked in a deep breath and plastered the smile back on her face. "I know. I don't think I could actually afford to buy anything there, but I just thought I'd like to see it, you know? Anyway, I really am sorry that I bumped into you like that. Can I buy you a cup of tea? Isn't that what you do here?"

Jackie laughed merrily. "Oh, I think we can do better than that."

"Wow!" Donna exclaimed, digging into her fish and chips, "This is really good."

"Well, it's nothing fancy," Jackie hedged, glancing around the pub.

"That's OK. Neither am I. Not really. I never could have afforded a trip like this myself, but Felicity - that's my daughter - she's here for a conference and she knew I'd never traveled farther than Star City -"

"What? That city I'm always hearin' about on the telly? With all them crazy blokes in hoods and masks?"

"Well…um, yeah. I mean, it scares me, too, sometimes, but…Felicity's happy, and that's all I ever wanted, you know?"

"I do. My Rose - she travels. It's not what I ever imagined for her, but she's happy. Here," Jackie dug out her phone. "That's her."

"Oh, she's beautiful! Is that her boyfriend?" Donna asked, looking at the image of the skinny fellow in the tight suit and the laughing blonde girl.

"Oh, him. That's the Doctor."

"A doctor? And they travel? Is he with Doctors Without Borders?"

"Something like that," Jackie said evasively. She really didn't think it was a good idea to mention 'time traveling alien who saves the world' to a woman she'd only just met. "I know they do a lot of good out there…at least, I think they do. Sometimes I don't understand half of what they say."

"Tell me about it," Donna said, rolling her eyes. "I used to think Felicity did it on purpose…but the truth is, she can't help it. She's smarter than I'll ever be. Takes after her father."

She passed Jackie her phone.

"She's lovely," Jackie cooed. "Has she got a bloke?"

"Well, that's one of the things I can never get a straight answer about. I mean, there's her boss Ray Palmer - tall, dark, and handsome, _**and** _ a CEO. Then there's Oliver Queen. He's…I don't really know what he is, anymore but…" Donna made a show of fanning herself.

"Is Felicity's dad traveling with you?"

"No," Donna replied, all the light fading from her expression. "He's not in the picture."

"Oh. I'm sorry. My Pete died when Rose was just a baby."

"Felicity's father isn't dead. It's just…it's better when he's not around. Better for me, and better for her. It was hard, but I managed. I'm a cocktail waitress, but my girl went to MIT."

"You must be so proud."

"I am," Donna replied, regaining her bounce. "Of course, I am, but…she's not just smart. Felicity's a good person. I like to think she got that from me."

"I reckon she did. My Rose…she'd give you the shirt off her back. That's just the sort she is."

"I expect that's why she travels with a doctor."

"I expect you're right."

Donna raised her glass in a toast. "Here's to us - the mothers of two of the most wonderful girls in the world!"

"And those daft blokes of theirs!" Jackie chimed, clinking their glasses together.

"Think they'll ever make us grandmas?" Donna wondered happily.

Jackie blanched slightly.

* * *

"I'm really sorry you didn't get to see Selfridge's," Jackie said sincerely.

"Yeah, well…it's just another way of reminding me that I'm just the help, you know?"

Jackie looked up at her with a sudden flash in her eyes. "No. I don't know, and neither should you! We've both of us raised two amazing girls, all on our own. I say we deserve an adventure of our own. I say we get ourselves some decent directions, an' we go to Selfridge's and we see all them posh window displays, and have ourselves a proper cuppa in their fancy tea room!"

"Count me in!" Donna replied.

Just then. Donna's phone rang. "Not now dear," she informed her daughter, "I'm having an adventure."

* * *

Across London, Felicity Smoak stared at her phone in trepidation.


End file.
